Democrats panned the bill as a giveaway to the rich and a betrayal to the working class.

The good thing about Trump's proposal is that an overhaul of the nation's voluminous, confusing and unfair tax code is long overdue.

Most Democrats and Republicans agree that change is in order.

For years, both parties have toyed with the notion of getting deep into the weeds of the multi-layered, arcane tax code and simplifying it.

But the will just wasn't there to proceed. Blame it on politics. Blame it on laziness. Blame it on a tax system that just keeps rolling along -- through good times and bad -- yet still can't generate enough money to pay all the federal government's bills.

Without judging the merits of the administration's proposal, it's a positive development that Trump is pressing for an overhaul. He's willing to go all in and he's looking for partners on both sides of the aisle.

Democrats and Republicans, despite their ideological differences, should be excited about seizing the opportunity and working collaboratively to enact a meaningful and fair tax code. Get to the table. Do it. Do something.

As often is the case in Washington, more time and energy is expended on creating partisan sound bites for news cameras than doing the people's business.

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It's time lawmakers reverse the protocol -- for the people's sake.

Trump didn't originate the idea of "repatriating" the billions of dollars in U.S. corporate profits that are sitting in off-shore accounts, out of reach of the IRS. However, he seems the most determined president in years to bring that money home where it can create new investment and jobs.

Trump believes that slashing the 35 percent U.S. corporate tax rate -- the highest among the world's industrialized nations -- will free up companies to do more business at home. Economists see the logic. The issue is setting a new corporate tax rate that induces corporate commitment. Trump is suggesting 15 percent. Lawmakers should take Trump's lower figure as a starting point and let the real work begin.

In addition, Trump's plan would create three simple individual tax brackets instead of seven -- 10 percent, 25 percent, 35 percent -- and double the standard deduction that would give back several thousand dollars annually to workers and families.

Overall, there are dozens of tradeoffs and unknowns in Trump's ambitious plan, leaving much for lawmakers to consider for action and for the dustbin.

Is a tax overhaul good for the country?

The answer is "Yes" in our view. Lawmakers should embrace Trump's challenge and give full-bore legislating a try.

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